Nashville Trip

This past month we went on a trip out to Nashville to visit my family. Stacey and my parents; Michelle and her family weren't there though. =( Wish it was easier for us all to get together but it does make it more possible now that my parents live in the same town as Stacey. The day before leaving for our trip to Nashville (beginning of May) my sweet boy fell asleep in the car while we were out doing errands. It was a crazy busy day. Got him this hat on sale at Old Navy and I just love it.
Aaron and Porter on the plane playing with Lifesaver Gummies. Entertaining and yummy!
The week before we went out Nashville experienced yet another devastating natural disaster: flooding. Took this picture from the plane--in case you couldn't tell--and yes there is supposed to be water here but not nearly that much. From the air we could see so many fields and places with "wet spots" and around my sister's house previously empty fields were mini-lakes.
This is a picture of my Gilday's! My Stacey, precious-sleepy-Simon, and wonderful Matt.
Our first night in Nashville they took us to the Murfreesboro Jazz Festival. It was really fun!


Aunt Stacey read Porter stories. This is Simon's current recommended selection: "Easy Street".
One of Simon and Porter's favorite things to do was play ping-pong with their daddy's help in the game room. It was soooooo cute!

One of our highlights was going to the Nashville Zoo after a yummy tasty breakfast at the Pancake Pantry (no pictures of that =( .....). Porter was so cute and loved seeing the animals. It's not a terribly large zoo but it is gorgeous and there are no glass barriers or cages so it makes you feel like you're just witnessing nature at it's best in her own element.
Mr. Giraffe, Porter, Aaron, and I.

My Stacey and me!
See how the back elephant has the other one by its tale???
Porter riding a hippo.
Stacey, Mom, the babies and I went to Cannonsburgh Village which is a reconstructed Southern village. The village serves as a living history museum of early Southern life.

Porter and I next to the world's largest cedar bucket! Now if that wasn't worth the trip cross the country I don't know what is. =P
Simon and Porter--the best-a-cousins!
We got to go to Matt's company picnic and it was a blast! They had awesome music, great food, fun games, pictures, airbrush tattoo's, bounce houses, train ride, competitions, and tours of the brand new hospital. Rain the morning of and a tornado watch almost cancelled our fun but thankfully did not.
Porter got a dolphin airbrush "sticker" if you will while he was asleep. This is after he woke up to check it out. Aaron was NOT happy I had a dolphin put on our son. He thought it wasn't very masculine. But Porter is a toddler!!!! Besides, I tried several others but they wouldn't do them because they were all too big for his little arm. This is the only one they had that would fit. I tried a basketball, football and turtle but all to big.
Aaron, Porter and I at the company picnic.
Our wonderful Park family came to visit us while we were in the East and it was great to see them. This is our cute nephew Eli, Luke (stationed in Ft. Campbell where Aaron served for 3 years in the Army when I first met him), and Aaron's wonderful sister Rachael who gave birth to baby Thadeus just one week after this picture was taken. What a good looking family! The picture above is precious and priceless: two sweet boys with their dad's. Eli, Luke, Porter and Aaron jumped a fence next to the creek behind Stacey's house to go save a goat that had been stuck for a couple days we found out. Poor little goat scampered off so happily after being released. Our hero's!

Uncle Aaron reading to the boys.
We celebrated Aaron's birthday with my family with ribs and banana cream pie (Aaron's favorite). Yum! This is Mom, Dad, Stacey, Matt, Aaron, Porter and I. Simon was in the house playing. Matt and Stacey have a beautiful house with a gorgeous backyard and big patio.
Matt let me mow the grass while I was there. I had so much fun! Last year Michelle and I fought over who would do it. This was a sweet ride.
Stacey, Mom and I took the boys on a walk on the Greenway. It was gorgeous! Mom had a good idea to give the boys sticks to drag alongside the wagon. They loved it. Did see evidence of the tornado's that hit the area last year (destroyed houses and uprooted trees; happened to be visiting to meet Simon) along with a monument for the fatalities. I try to tell Stacey how not safe it is out there (tornado's, floods...) and how she needs to come live by me. She's not convinced yet.
This is a monument erected to mark the geographic center of Tennessee. Very cool.
Grandma Taylor (my Mom) gave Porter a train set and it's one of his favorite things now. It's fun to watch Porter hold the trains and cars and try to carry them all at once. He often says "koo-koo", or "choo-choo, or sometimes even "too-too"!
Porter has been in the cutest stage. Everything he does, Teddy does. Porter had a drink of apple juice so he gave Teddy a drink. He has us give Teddy a kiss after we give him a kiss. He put his binki in Teddy's mouth and fed him snacks. So cute!
Headed home on the plane. It was sad to see our visit come to an end. Thank you Matt and Stacey and Mom and Dad for all the fun! We had such a great time and can't wait to get together again! I love my family.